Buddy Thomas: When high school officials become the show, it's a problem

Thursday

Feb 28, 2013 at 12:01 AM

There are buzz words and phrases that, let's say, annoy me when I'm listening to or just talking about sports in general. Like the basketball commentator who feels the need to inform me that "he (insert the name of the shooter) can score the basketball." As opposed to scoring what? His sneakers? Without a basketball, how else is a shooter able to score? Saying "he can score" is all I need to know, thank you.

BUDDY THOMAS

There are buzz words and phrases that, let's say, annoy me when I'm listening to or just talking about sports in general. Like the basketball commentator who feels the need to inform me that "he (insert the name of the shooter) can score the basketball." As opposed to scoring what? His sneakers? Without a basketball, how else is a shooter able to score? Saying "he can score" is all I need to know, thank you.

And then there's the baseball announcer talking about a hitter who "likes the (pitched) ball out over the plate." As opposed to what? One thrown behind his head? Of course a hitter likes it out over the plate; that's where he has the best chance of seeing it and hitting it.

But, for me, the most annoying word linked to any sport is "disrespect." It's annoying because it's nothing more than a crutch word used by people looking for an excuse.

Example: A player loses his cool and physically confronts an opponent because "he (the opponent) was disrespecting me."

Or, the teammate who feels he isn't getting enough playing time and quits the team because he was "disrespected" by the coach. In both cases, the end result is the same. The so-called disrespected player wins the crutch, but ends up losing whatever respect he may have had as the result of his actions.

Respect is earned by being respectful. And that formula applies to everyone involved in competition, including game officials.

In a recent boys high school basketball game, for example, technical fouls were called against both teams, including one of the head coaches. It wasn't anything the coach said. It was his reaction (throwing up his hands) to the explanation of a personal foul call that earned him the "T." When the coach didn't agree with the explanation he waived his arms in disgust and was whistled for "showing disrespect toward the official." No warning. Just another quick whistle from one of the guys who allowed players from both teams to take a combined 51 free throws in 32 minutes.

Maybe the coach was a little too demonstrative in the eyes of the official, but which of the two was being disrespectful? Is a waving of the hands really grounds for a technical foul? Or had the official used the disrespect word as a crutch word while looking for an excuse?

Is it beyond reason to suggest that any official or set of officials who send 14 different players to the foul line for 51 combined free throws, call multiple technical fouls and play a lead role in the whistling of 24 combined turnovers over the course of a 32-minute contest are disrespecting the game?

When a coach or player shows "disrespect" by getting out of hand during the course of a game, the game official has the option of ejecting either one or both. What's the option of frustrated players, coaches and fans when an official "disrespects" the game by interrupting the flow with constant whistles and eagerly showing his arrogant Mr. T (as in technical) personality?

If a basketball official chooses to eject a player or coach, the ejected one faces an automatic one-game suspension, while the ejector's only hardship is filling out some paper work. When a coach is tossed from two games, he must enroll in the Coaches' Education course or MIAA certified program before returning from suspension. The official's plight? A two-week suspension only if he or she fails to complete the proper paper work which, of course, would be a sign of (and, here's that word again) disrespecting the MIAA.

But, here's the bottom line for me.

Basketball is a game played by people and watched by fans. Nobody, with the possible exception of family and members of the local officials board, attend a game to watch the game officials. When the latter becomes the show — as it did in the recent high school game — there's a problem. It's called arrogance, and like the term disrespect, it's also annoying. As far as I'm concerned, it has no place in any athletic arena.